IllustrationI BELIEVE THAT THE DASH HAS BEEN TAMPERED WITH AS THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND THERE APPEARS TO BE VELCRO ATTACHED TO THE DASH
1997 Ford Escort
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Escort years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Ford Escort are substantially higher than the model-year median of 101.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Escort years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 100 of 543 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 152 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 114 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
66 crash reports83 fire reports52 injury reports
What owners actually said
543 reportsCAR WAS TOWED TO LOCAL STATION AS DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE PURCHASE ONE OF THE LAST SELECTOR SHAFT ASSEMBLY SHIFTERS AVAILABLE. TOTAL COST: $349.00.
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE VIBRATES AND JERKS AND HESITATES WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
05/25/1999; WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE HEAD GASKET ON ENGINE "BLEW OUT" CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE. ON 07/15/1999; THE HORN STARTED HONKING CONTINUOUSLY ON IT'S OWN, WHEN CAR WAS PARKED & LOCKED. HAD TO REMOVE FUSE TO SHUT OFF. DEALER SAID IT WAS A BAD AIR-BAG MODULE, NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, COST $ 675.00. 07/25/99, CRANKSHAFT P…
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05/25/1999; WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE HEAD GASKET ON ENGINE "BLEW OUT" CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE. ON 07/15/1999; THE HORN STARTED HONKING CONTINUOUSLY ON IT'S OWN, WHEN CAR WAS PARKED & LOCKED. HAD TO REMOVE FUSE TO SHUT OFF. DEALER SAID IT WAS A BAD AIR-BAG MODULE, NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, COST $ 675.00. 07/25/99, CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BROKE OFF, CAR NOT DRIVEABLE. I NOTE 4 OTHER REPORTS ON THIS WEB-SITE FOR THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY, AND 1 EACH FOR THE HEAD-GASKET & HORN/AIRBAG PROBLEMS + MANY OTHER AIRBAG PROBLEMS.
ON NOV.24,1998 VEHICLE EXPERIENCED COLLISION THAT CAUSING VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG, RESULTING IN INJURY TO DRIVERS LEFT HAND. *YC
THE AIR INTAKE FOR THE HEATING AND A/C SYSTEM IS RIGHT AT THE OPENING BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD AND HOOD, AND NO GRATE COVERS IT. LEAVES GET INTO THE SYSTEM. THEY SPIT OUT AT YOU WHEN YOU RUN THE A/C OR HEAT. WHEN A/C RUNS, THEY PLUG UP DRAIN, AND WATER SLOSHES AROUND IN COMPARTMENT AND GETS INTO INTERIOR. WHEN HEATER RUNS, BUR…
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THE AIR INTAKE FOR THE HEATING AND A/C SYSTEM IS RIGHT AT THE OPENING BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD AND HOOD, AND NO GRATE COVERS IT. LEAVES GET INTO THE SYSTEM. THEY SPIT OUT AT YOU WHEN YOU RUN THE A/C OR HEAT. WHEN A/C RUNS, THEY PLUG UP DRAIN, AND WATER SLOSHES AROUND IN COMPARTMENT AND GETS INTO INTERIOR. WHEN HEATER RUNS, BURNING LEAVES CAN BE SMELLED.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON TWO OCCASIONS, FIRST INCIDENT RESULTED IN COLLISION WITH PROPERTY. MJS
WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
BRAKES.
Official recalls
102V323000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
Dec 9, 2002
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR (IABM) CAN BE CONTAMINATED WITH WATER OR OTHER LIQUIDS AND COULD EXPERIENCE INTERNAL ELECTRICAL SHORTING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS MAY, IN TURN, CAUSE THE AIR BAG READINESS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE AND IN VERY RARE OCCURRENCES, AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, MELTED WIRING, OR FIRE MAY OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE SHIELD OVER THE IABM AND APPLY NYOGEL GREASE TO THE CONNECTOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN FEBRUARY 11, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA02008 · Water Intrusion Into Airbag Monitor
Opened Jun 10, 2002 · Closed Dec 11, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
BY LETTER OF DECEMBER 6, 2002, FORD NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WOULD CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL ON ALL 1997 FORD ESCORT AND MERCURY TRACER VEHICLES.FORD FOUND THAT ELECTRICAL SHORTING OF THE INTEGRATED AIR BAG MONITOR (IABM)DUE TO LIQUID INTRUSION OF WATER OR ENGINE COOLANT CAN OCCUR IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.FORD AND LINCOLN MERCURY DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE SHIELD OVER THE IABM AND APPLY NYOGEL GREASE TO IT'S ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR.SEE FORD'S DECEMBER 6, 2002 DEFECT AND NONCOMPLIANCE INFORMATION REPORT FOR DETAILS.
PE02010 · Integrated Air Bag Monitor Water
Opened Jan 30, 2002 · Closed Jun 10, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
No summary supplied.